When the Wind Stops Blowing
Mark Westerfield, P.E.
Manager, Product Development and Engineering
Clopay Building Products Company

With the hurricanes of the last few years, we have all seen
images of devastation and misery. When we see a roof blown
off or a garage door wrapped around a car, we know that a
building material did not survive the storm and will need
to be replaced.

The Day After

But what happens to those buildings and building products
that survived the storm? Specifically for garage doors, how
does someone know a garage door will still operate as designed?
Also, there have been instances where garage doors have survived
one hurricane only to fail in the next, less-severe storm.

Therefore, two broad questions need to be answered:
1) Immediately after the storm, how do you evaluate a garage
door to make sure it can still operate normally and safely?
2) Will a garage door survive the next high-wind event?

To help answer these questions, DASMA has created two Technical
Data Sheets (TDS): TDS 174 and TDS 175.

Home Alone

TDS 174 is intended for non-installers and is titled “Post-High
Wind Event Door Operation by a Building Occupant.” TDS
174 provides guidelines to follow; first a visual inspection
and then an operational inspection.

During both of these inspection phases, if any problem is
observed, TDS 174 directs the non-installer to seek the help
of a trained door systems technician. TDS 174 also tells the
occupant that they “should not attempt to repair doors
themselves.” The document directs the building occupant
to contact a professional door installer to help determine
if the garage door and framing can withstand another high-wind
event.

Analyze That

TDS 175 is for the professional installer or technician and
is titled “Post-High Wind Event Door Operation by a
Trained Door Systems Technician.” TDS 175 has many of
the same inspection elements of TDS 174, but it also includes
information about evaluating the garage door and its ability
to survive the next high-wind event.

Specifically, TDS 175 asks that the door technician “check
the door system for signs of stress or fatigue.” If
these signs are present, the building owner should be notified
of any assessment, including possible replacement of the garage
door system. A professional engineer, architect, or inspector
may need to be contacted to make this determination.

TDS 174 and TDS 175, like all DASMA Technical Data Sheets,
can be found at www.dasma.com.